Science

This intermediate session demonstrated how we conducted an a priori power analysis for a longitudinal,multisite cluster randomized trial of an early childhood science education program, then later revised it to accommodate budget changes suggested by the funder without compromising the viability of the study. We covered how the research questions, design, and analysis plan informed the power analysis approach; the software we used; and what the input parameters required actually represent.

Project Goals -Develop and field test a words-to-video images tool for analyzing selected features of science teaching. -Produce a Guide to Video Analysis of Science Teaching that includes a coding manual for the selected lesson features, a training guide for achieving inter-rater agreement, and a CD/DVD containing video segments for use as examples and for practice.

In this paper, we report on a study that compares state, national, and international assessment programs as to the characteristics and functions of the illustrations used in their science test items. We used our conceptual framework for examining the characteristics of illustrations in science items (Solano-Flores & Wang, 2009, 2011) to code the illustrations of samples of items.

⁃What does it look like to begin reasoning early about density before definitions and formulas?

⁃What sorts of classroom activities and teaching approaches might support this?

Since an August 2010 start date, the Evidence Game team has been engaged in an iterative design and development process for a game to provide middle school students and their teachers with practice in Toulmin’s (1984) model of argumentation as applied to science.  The poster session will present the overall conceptual model for a targeted game to provide practice in argumentation and efforts to make this process a fun experience for youth.